Last year Vodafone lost 179,000 customers after network problems and confidentiality breaches. The telco aims to turn things around through its partnership with Optus and a new three-month ad campaign. Photo: Nic Walker

The campaign targets Vodafone's heartland of younger customers, typically more likely to buy pre-paid deals. The ads will feature media personality Faustina Agolley, or Fuzzy, and will run extensively as part of Vodafone's sponsorship of the top-rating TV show The Voice.

The campaign, the first by Vodafone's new creative agency, Ogilvy, will run over the next three months.

Vodafone is working hard to turn around a poor reputation on service and coverage. Last year the carrier lost 179,000 customers after network problems and claims of confidentiality breaches.

Vodafone's head of media and campaigns, Shawn Marsh, said Agolley was a great choice as the face of the prepaid campaign.

''She brings a bright and fun dynamic to the communications and is the perfect fit for our prepaid customers. This, coupled with her role in The Voice, will help our brand message resonate deeper with our customers.''

Vodafone's new chief executive, Bill Morrow, has declared his aim of developing a network that provides strong coverage for all Vodafone customers. As part of the new PR push, Vodafone has also introduced its network guarantee, which allows new and upgrading customers on postpaid plans to trial new devices on the network for up to 30 days, cancelling their contract if they are not satisfied.

In the new joint venture with Optus, Vodafone customers will be able to roam on the Optus network from next April at no additional cost. The companies will also share the cost of building and running 500 mobile sites around the country.